My Eternal Heart
by Talesofwovensilver
Summary: Oneshot. Persephone (femPercy) is forced to choose between the people she loves and her mortality. It's a hard choice and her decision will forever change her course. What will she decide? Nico/femPercy. Has been expanded. See my 3 chapter story 'Becoming the Queen of Montauk'.


_~FemPercy: Persephone Jackson: Perse or Seph ~_

* * *

This was it.

The last time she'd be able to see them for years.

She couldn't help the hot trail of tears that spilt down her cheeks.

Not that she was alone in that. Matching tracks wet her cousin's cheeks too.

Though they weren't technically her cousins, the same way Poseidon, Hades and Zeus weren't actually related by blood, neither were they.

But throughout the years, after the second giant war, the two had become her family.

Thalia had taken on the role as their elder sister. After Artemis had released Thalia of her position as a huntress, she had raised Thalia's age to how old she would have been if she hadn't joined the hunt. Being her patron Goddess, Artemis could do that.

The reason Thalia had left the hunt was Artemis had realised Thalia wasn't happy as she was, watching her other friends age, whilst she stayed an immortal teenager forever. Thalia wasn't like the other hunters either, she could never muster up the same hate for men, and it had become apparent to Artemis that Thalia hadn't been entirely comfortable. So as much as she had wanted Thalia to stay, she couldn't carry on knowing Thalia was miserable.

Then there was Nico who had truly matured once Hades had sped up his aging rate, until he was Perse's age. It didn't leave Nico as a child in a young adult's body, but rather, sped up his whole aging rate, mind and body.

With that Nico had learned to accept what was and he carried on in his life instead of clinging to the past.

They all clashed at times, Perse and Thalia most of all, but one of them (normally Nico) was – most of time – able to help mediate and control the situation so nothing too severe occurred.

The boy had mellowed out into a young man and though he still had a very prominent dangerous edge to him, he never turned it to Thalia or Seph.

It had also shown Nico's penchant for sarcasm and ironic statements that occurred daily.

As well as leading Thalia and Perse into discovering Nico's affinity for dancing, which had led to a lot of questions and uncharacteristic squealing.

The thought led Persephone's mind down a different route. A much more dangerous route.

She remembered the times Nico had spent hours teaching her to dance, how she had come to love the lessons, just for the chance to be held in his strong arms and spun round to meet him, loving the way his dark eyes would sparkle with excitement and the grin that would cross his lips.

She remembered the slow walks along the beach at night and the whispered confessions. The smouldering touches and breathless, slow, sweet kisses.

She remembered the feeling of belonging. Of safety. Of unconditional, overwhelming love.

And it made her want to scream.

Because what right did they have to take that away from her?

What right did they have to destroy her world like this?

After everything she'd done for them. Why?

They knew she'd never accept immortality. It wasn't her future. She was mortal, and she was happy that way.

She had met so many amazing people in her life, been so many places, had so many experiences, and she wouldn't change it.

But, she didn't want to live forever. Everything has to come to an end eventually, and she was content to let that be. She wanted to be able to one day join her lost loved ones in the afterlife.

Immortality always ended in tragedy. So many people got hurt. It left you, if not broken, then jaded and aching with loss and sorrow.

This was a prime example.

* * *

The gods had called them here today, to offer them immortality for their services for Olympus and the world. So that in the case of another threat in the future, then they would be prepared.

All the major players in the defeat of Gaia and the other Titans were there. Both Roman and Greek.

One by one they all accepted immortality. Though it saddened her, Persephone had known what they would say before they had said it.

Until they got to her, Thalia and Nico.

Zeus had been first. He had asked Thalia if she would accept the gift of immortality, and in reply she told him it was not something she wished for and that she would decline the offer.

To their growing horror, Zeus had only sighed in resignation before,

"I am sorry my child, truly I am, but I cannot take that risk."

With that Thalia was stripped of her mortality. She could neither age, nor die in battle. She was eternally immortal.

The throne room had been silent, nobody dared to speak and electricity exploded out of Thalia and danced around her, before she broke the silence.

"Why?"

Once simple word. But it conveyed so much meaning. Why me? Why would you do this to me when you have Jason? Why would you ignore my wishes? Why would you condemn your daughter, whom you claim to care for, to a life that she neither wants nor needs?

 **Why would you betray me like that?**

They all heard the implied questions, but Zeus did not reply. Only muttered a faint apology, before turning his gaze to Hades.

That was the moment the walls started closing in. Her chest tightened and her palms had started to bleed small rivers down her palms.

Losing Thalia had been a shock, something none of them had expected, it had frozen them in disbelief.

But the moment she looked at Hades, it all came crashing down and she wanted to yell, she wanted to do something, anything at all to stop that fatal question from being asked, as if that could somehow stop the inevitable.

But it wouldn't, the fates had decided on a course and she couldn't stop it.

She faintly registered a sharp, strangled gasp from one of the thrones, one of the gods.

But her ears were ringing and she turned to watch as a dark aura surrounded Nico, enveloping him and taking his mortality from him.

She couldn't breathe. Her head was pounding and she had never felt so helpless in her entire life.

Then her father was in front of her and she was being enveloped in a hug. She couldn't help but relax, he smelt like the sea, he smelt like safety and home.

"Breathe my child. Breathe." Her father's deep, rumbling voice soothed her panic, but still left her shaking, but steadier as he pulled away.

She gave him a shaky nod when he looked at her worriedly.

He didn't move away, even when Zeus ordered him to return to his seat.

Poseidon only sent his brother a dark, withering look, before turning to Persephone once more.

"Persephone. I will not force you into this. I promise you that on the Styx. But will you accept immortality? I will not be any less proud of you if you decline. It is a hard choice to make, but it is yours."

Her father's eyes were soft but fierce as he spoke to her so that only she could hear him.

Persephone stared back at him.

It was her choice to make. She could choose immortality, and live for eternity with Thalia, Nico and the others.

But she would never join her mortal mother once she passed, she would never re-join all the heroes that she had fought beside over the years, she would never rest. She would spend the rest of her eternal life living a life that she resented, a life she had never wanted nor wished for.

Her fatal flaw was personal loyalty, but she had to be true to herself too.

The question was, could she do that to Thalia and Nico? They had had this life forced onto them. Could she leave them? She didn't know whether she could.

"Seph." It was whispered, almost not there at all, but she heard it.

She turned her head and met the eyes of two of her most precious people. Electric blue and shadowy black orbs stared back at her.

"It's okay." It was Thalia. "Make this choice for you, not for us."

Her decision began to unthread, slowly becoming undone.

"I want you to be happy Seph, don't do this. I know it's not what you want. You deserve Elysium. You deserve peace."

Her decision splintered, it was barely holding on.

Obsidian eyes shimmered, but stared defiantly back at her.

"Nico…"

"No Pers. Nico's right. Don't. Then at least one of us will be happy. If you can't make the choice on your own, let us help you. Immortality is a curse. We don't want you to hold the same curse. Please."

Thalia was beyond pleading, she was begging.

Persephone could feel her decision weakening. But…

"Please _adorato._ "

She knew _adorato_ meant beloved in Italian. Nico had been teaching her to speak the language.

Her decision fled. She couldn't. Not when they would so obviously blame themselves for it. She couldn't do that to them, and she couldn't do it to herself either.

"I'm sorry. But I can't accept. I will stay mortal."

She squeezed her eyes shut to stop the tears from escaping.

"So be it."

"Poseidon-"

"No Zeus. I will not force my daughter into a life of immortal misery. She has made her decision and you will respect it."

It was then that everybody remembered just why Poseidon was one of the most feared gods.

There was a reason Zeus was so mistrusting of him. It was because he held so much power.

Zeus didn't agree or concede, not willing to be proven weaker than Poseidon, but it didn't escape anybody's notice that he did not dare to disagree.

And so her world had split. It would never be the same again.

* * *

There were rules obstructing relationships between mortals and immortals.

Even though that wouldn't have stopped them, Thalia and Nico would both be expected to perform duties and that would keep them busy for long time before they got used to the load and learned how to balance in their new life.

This was goodbye.

Thalia had immediately grasped Persephone in a hug.

"You're my baby sister Seph, don't forget that. I love you no matter what, always and forever, okay."

The whole thing was rushed and desperate, but Persephone just clung to Thalia tighter and nodded her head against the older girl's neck.

"I know Thals. You too. I love you okay, don't you dare forget."

"I won't, I promise."

They clung to each other for a few more minutes before Thalia pulled away shakily.

"I'll wait outside."

Thalia slipped outside, leaving Nico and Persephone alone.

"Nico."

He was immediately across the room and she crumpled against him as the sobs racked her body.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

The apologies were rapid and with each word Persephone pressed closer to Nico, the tremors racking her body becoming more violent as they built up.

Nico was quick to stop them though.

"Persephone."

His eyes were as intense as ever and his smile as soft, smaller than normal, but no less true.

"There is nothing to forgive. Okay? Nothing. I want you to live. I want you to be happy. Never apologise for that okay?"

"But I left you, I-"

Nico quickly cut her off.

"You did not leave me. It was my father that made the decision to press immortality onto me, and Thalia's onto her. Don't you dare apologise for something that was never your fault. I will forever be grateful to Poseidon for being a father to you. He loves you and he showed that today, because he did what was best for you, and nothing makes me more relieved. Understand?"

Persephone stared at Nico.

He gently kissed her eyelids, "Trust me Persephone, I'm a son of Hades, if I was even slightly resentful or angry with you, you would know. But I'm not and I never will be. I love you. Nothing will change that, not immortality, nor time, I would do anything, give anything for you to be happy. Even at the cost of my own. Understand."

"I don't want to lose you."

Nico pulled her to him and buried his head in her hair as reality came crashing down around them that this was it, this was goodbye, it was the last time this would happen without the knowledge of the gap existing between them separating them.

"Nor I you."

Persephone felt Nico shift, his arms leaving her briefly, before he whispered in her ear.

"Back up for a moment Seph."

She did so, her lashes heavy with tears, making her gaze slightly lidded.

Nico's gaze caught on them briefly, before he tore his eyes away.

He held something out in his hand and Persephone's breath caught.

It was a silver oval locket. It had an engraved circle on it. The circle itself was made of dozens of tiny little engraved shells and gems, with a shadowy wisp circling and weaving in and around it.

It was a beautiful piece of craftsmanship and could only come from a godly forge.

Nico was behind her now and she leant against him as she gently brushed her finger tips against the enchanting locket hanging from her neck.

"It's beautiful Nico, how…"

"That's not important. Open it."

Inside was a picture. Again, like the outside of the locket it held an unnatural quality to it, showing it wasn't made by mere mortals. The quality was too deep, the emotions of the figures in the picture too vivid to be an ordinary photo.

The young male in the picture had long, ebony black hair that went to his shoulders and his arms encircled a dark haired girl. His onyx black eyes glowed with joy and love, his face was half buried in the girl's hair, but a grin could clearly be made out on his face.

The girl – who was really better called a young woman – was smiling at the camera, her sea green eyes sparkling with fun, mischief and absolute happiness. Her fingers were laced through the man's and she seemed utterly content in his arms. Like there was nowhere she would rather be than right there in that moment.

And she wouldn't. Persephone knew that, because she remembered wondering how anything could be as perfect as it had been that day.

It had been one of the times where Thalia had been off visiting Annabeth and Nico and Persephone had had the day to themselves.

Making the most of it, Persephone had decided to take Nico to Montauk, where some of her best memories had been made.

It was probably the best day of her life that she could remember. No monsters. No drama. Just pure joy and happiness. They had lazed around on the beach and gone swimming, Persephone dragging Nico into the sea.

Figures. That would be the last time they would be able to do that with the same weightlessness about them.

Persephone had thought she had lost all her innocent naivety in the past two wars she had fought in.

But she had always had people to fall back onto when it got too much, things to look forward to when it seemed all hope was lost.

She couldn't see that anymore. There was a weight crushing into her, the knowledge that her world was crumbling around her and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

But she couldn't give up.

Not when Nico and Thalia couldn't. She had to be strong. For them.

Once she stopped reminiscing her eyes were drawn to the inside of the locket lid.

Words were engraved there. They were in Italian and Persephone couldn't make out just what they were saying.

"What does it mean?" She turned her head slightly so Nico was resting his chin on her cheek lightly.

"You'll just have to figure that out for yourself. Think of it as incentive to finish learning Italian." He smiled cheekily at her and she couldn't not laugh.

It bubbled up inside of her and it warmed something inside of her when Nico smiled at her. The first truly happy smile since this whole fiasco had begun.

It made something inside of her soar when she knew it was her that had elicited such a reaction from him, making her bury her face in his chest as she blushed shyly.

" _Amore_?"

"I love you."

Nico smiled at her. "I love you too. Always."

"Always." A promise.

"I have one more thing I'd like to give you. I never thought I'd be giving it to you in these conditions, but I need you to know."

He gently picked up Persephone's hand, and cradling it in his own, placed a deep, velvet blue, almost black box in their joined hands.

"You don't have to open it, but I wanted you to know that there is nobody else who I would rather have. There will never be anybody else. This is yours, and yours only. Nobody else."

Persephone stared. A ring. It couldn't be anything else.

I was another promise. One that couldn't be fulfilled. Not now. That was why Nico had given her the choice on whether she wanted to open it or not.

Even though it would hurt. Even though it was but a wish now.

She slowly lifted her hand to the box, then gently lifted the lid up.

It looked so delicate, but Persephone knew it wouldn't break. Nor would it wear or fade.

A shining silver ring, set around a glittering obsidian stone. It wasn't smooth, but that was to beauty of it. It held edges and grooves, it was unique, with a ring of dark green surrounding it. Small. Delicate. Powerful.

She fell in love with it, and she knew that she could never, ever give it up. Not because of the beautiful craftsmanship. Nor because of the tradition behind the ring.

But because of its crafter.

"Nico. You made this."

It was something she could only imagine him making. Nico wasn't the type of person who would settle for anything less than perfect when it truly mattered to him. Not even Hephaestus could have put the emotions into this ring that Nico had.

Because they were his.

She didn't know how. And truthfully it didn't matter, because he had.

She took the ring from the box reverently.

"Persephone. You know if –"

"I know." And she did.

It fit perfectly.

"It's perfect."

"You're perfect"

The sentence held such uncut, raw emotion to it.

She turned to face Nico. His face was awed and pained at the same time.

She didn't think, she just acted. Her body was pressed against his in an instant, her hands cupping his face, one sliding round to lace in his hair.

"Nico." She returned the emotions in full. Putting in all her love, all her pain at losing him, all her dread, all her terror, all her complete and utter devotion for him. She put it all into his name and projected it into her eyes, letting him see that this was tearing her apart just as much as it was him.

It was no competition. Just the compelling need to let the other know the truth, know their emotions.

There was a hand in her hair, on the back of her head, pulling her against soft pink lips that gently caressed her own, before deepening as she returned the gesture.

The kiss became more passionate as the urgency grew. They fed all their anger and helplessness into the kiss, drawing apart only to catch shallow breaths, before meeting again with all their tension and desperation from the situation clashing and moulding into a searing, fiery kiss.

When they finally separated enough to be able to take a deep breath they both had slightly swollen, flushed lips and rosy skin.

Persephone tightened her arms around Nico's neck, resting their foreheads together. Both were breathing heavily.

"Thalia."

"Has probably gone to find Annabeth or Jason."

"Yeah." Persephone happily let the excuse slide over her.

The atmosphere seemed to rise slightly, the body across from her tensing, and Persephone opened her eyes to meet Nico's. She didn't have to ask what he was thinking.

"Don't Nico. It will only be more painful."

"I know, it's just…"

"You're not your father."

"I know."

"So stop." The words were harsh, but her voice was soft and comforting.

"I'm trying. It's hard."

"I know. I'm right here. Focus on me. On the right here, right now. Not what's going to happen after or what has already happened. Focus on us."

Slowly the tightness that had enveloped Nico lessened slightly and he breathed out.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

She knew it was going to be hard for Nico to let her go and they could both sense that time was nearing.

Despite not sharing any DNA with the gods their children were eerily similar to them, sharing some of their most prominent traits.

It was agony to even think about letting go of Nico. Persephone had inherited her stubbornness from both of her parents, though Poseidon was famous for it, as well as his possessiveness and the need to just hold Nico close and never let him go was overwhelming.

For Nico it had to be complete and utter hell.

He was the son of the god who kept his love trapped in the underworld for half the year for fear of losing her, she could see the battle he was raging with himself every time his grip on her tightened and he tugged her closer.

Perse's mother had – ironically – named her after Persephone from the famous myth (which wasn't such a myth) in the hope that her daughter would be able to find someone who loved her so much that they would go to unimaginable lengths to keep her safe from harm, and who would love her. Because her mother, being the loving, and hopeless romantic author that she was, saw underneath the tragedy of the particular tale to the love story underneath.

That she had found the love of her life in the only current living son of Hades had not escaped her mother's notice and she had just smiled sweetly at her in an innocent, 'you-know-I-was-right' kind of way.

But that was where the similarities ended. No matter what, Persephone knew Nico respected her and her wishes too much to ever force her into captivity or immortality.

And she wouldn't get to keep Nico forever. They got three whole years of their little eternity before she had to let him go. Not six months each year for the rest of forever.

It hurt. It hurt so much and she knew if she really was Persephone, she would happily stay in the underworld all year round if it was Nico down there.

But the situation was different. She had known her whole life that she was mortal, and she knew, the way her instincts had never failed her before, that she was not fated to be immortal.

You could say, that the brightest threads are always the one that get cut the quickest. They naturally draw things to them. The good and the bad.

Persephone felt a presence lingering in the doorway. Not intruding, but making their presence known.

She turned, expecting to see Hermes, but was caught off guard when instead it was Lady Aphrodite standing in the doorway. She could feel Nico tense next to her, but she placed a hand on his chest.

Up until a few years ago, Persephone and Aphrodite had always had a very rocky relationship. The goddess seemed determined to mess with her life, and she had irritated Persephone to no end.

She had finally snapped, and the aftermath of that particular incident had produced a friendship that left everyone astounded.

What they didn't understand was that, although Aphrodite was perceived as vain, shallow and narcissistic, she was also the goddess of love. She felt every heart break, every pain, every betrayal as if it were her own.

Nobody realised and Aphrodite was left to suffer in silence. So she built a mask, a fortress that looked away the deeper emotions and left the less desirable ones behind. Those were the ones that everybody saw. Even her fellow gods. And nobody suspected, because Aphrodite hadn't been born from Kronos and Rhea, she was made from the 'remains' of Uranus, after Zeus had dealt with him. They let that become an excuse for their inability to understand her and who she was.

Aphrodite had dealt with such pain from the moment of her existence and she had received help from none, never did anybody try to understand. So she had become bitter, making it her goal to ruin those who had the potential to ruin her. She became the reason for all the heartbreak and pain. Instead of letting it affect her, she made it so she was the afflicter, so she held the power. It wasn't true of course, but it was a coping mechanism.

Persephone had managed to unearth it and had asked Aphrodite why, instead of focusing on all the pain, why not focus on the opposite? Love was such a strong emotion and she was the embodiment of it. She could spread love, she could overcome the pain.

So Aphrodite had changed. Not to the others. Not to anybody who didn't bother to look, but she had changed, you could see it in the relationships that developed between mortals, you could see it in her children, the newest ones all came to camp from loving homes. Her elder children had become more involved and less shallow, something many attributed to the war. But there were those who knew the truth, and that's all that mattered.

It had been Aphrodite that had let out the strangled gasp earlier, feeling the pain emanating from the pair, from the girl who had helped her overcome her own pain, and it bought Aphrodite to tears. How could Zeus and Hades bear to break apart something so beautiful she couldn't understand.

So Persephone could understand why it had been Aphrodite who had come to get them. Aphrodite would want to stop the inevitable goodbye for as long as she could, enough that she would be the one to volunteer to collect them.

She didn't say anything, just watched, and a silent tear slid down her cheek in compassion and anguish.

Nico and Persephone understood nonetheless.

It was time.

* * *

 **A/N: So what do you guys think? I used google translate for the Italian and I can never be sure how correct it is, so if there are any Italian speakers out there, do feel free to correct me.  
** **I absolutely adore this pairing, so I hope you guys liked it too, and I'm considering expanding this story in some other oneshots or a chapter story if enough people would like me to. Review and tell me!**


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